Silos
Grain silos are widely used in the agricultural industry. Environmental conditions that may include dry/wet loading cycles lead to corrosion of reinforcing steel and cracking of the concrete walls. Although the cracks can be injected and filled with epoxy, this solution does not address the loss of strength caused by corrosion of steel reinforcement. Attaching steel plates to the outside of the silos results in an unsightly solution that will require maintenance of the steel plates to prevent them from corroding. The connection of the plates at a few discrete points to the silo introduce their own design challenges for proper load transfer.
FRP offers a great solution for the above conditions. Thin (0.05 inch or 1.3 mm) layers of carbon FRP can be bonded to the surface of the silo. These layers will transfer the load over a large area, eliminating stress concentration points. The FRP will also provide an impervious layer that will protect the concrete steel from future corrosion. QuakeWrap engineers can provide the design for these applications and sealed engineering drawings will be provided to the owner.
Features & Benefits
Advantages of repair of silos with FRP include:
- Repairs can be done internally or externally
- Minimal increase in wall thickness (typically ¼ inch (5mm))
- Repairs are fast and often performed while the silo is in service
- Ideal for spot repair of only damaged areas
- FRP will serve as moisture-barrier to protect the tank against future corrosion
- Finished installation can be painted, making it hardly visible